


Family Matters

by EzzyDean



Category: Free!
Genre: Gen, M/M, child!Rei, family au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-22
Updated: 2014-09-19
Packaged: 2018-01-20 09:08:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 7,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1504727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EzzyDean/pseuds/EzzyDean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A Nonny on tumblr sent me an ask about Makoto and Rin being parents with Rei as the child.  This is just a bunch of drabbles and whatnot in that AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Welcome Home

**Author's Note:**

> You can find all the posts about this AU [here](http://ezzydean.tumblr.com/tagged/FamilyAU).
> 
> Nonny asked: The day Mako and Rin bring Child!Rei to his new home? I also can't stop thinking about how it went when Rei first met Mako and Rin.

It didn’t take long for Mako and Rin to decide on Rei once they finally decided to go about the whole adoption process.  Actually they kind of knew as soon as they met him that he was the one they wanted to come home with them.  If he was willing, of course.  He was sitting at a table with a couple of younger kids.  One was coloring and the other was cutting out different colored shapes and gluing them to a sheet of paper.  Rei was looking through a picture book on animals.  When the first kid dropped their crayon under the table Rei slid off the chair immediately and picked it up, not even looking away from his book.  The same thing happened a few moments later when the other child dropped his scissors under the table.  Rei picked up his book, grabbed the scissors, and handed them back before sitting back at the table.

Later all the kids were playing outside and Rei was on top of the monkey bars, staring up at the clouds.

"Kinda reminds me of stories about you when you were little." Mako whispered and nudged Rin.

"Please the looking after the other kids thing is all you." Rin whispered back with a smile.

 

Rei didn’t really know what to make of the couple who came over and talked to him.  All the other couples who came, that day and any other day, always wanted to talk to one of the other kids.  The ones who ran and laughed and played with others.  No one ever really wanted to talk to him.  He was too serious.  (That kind of attitude there’s no way he can get along with others, one couple had whispered.)  Too quiet.  (The quiet ones are always trouble in the end, was another couple’s input.)

But these two guys seemed different.  It wasn’t just the bright red hair that made the one stand out even though he didn’t seem to even notice the attention.  It wasn’t just the kind green eyes of the other ones that made everyone seem at ease around him.  It was mostly because they came and actually saw him.  And talked to him.  The one with green eyes and big hands asked him what kind of animals he liked and the one with the red hair and funny teeth showed him a magic trick (not that it was all that magical or tricky but the man’s enthusiasm made Rei smile.)

 

When he finally stood in front of what would be his new home,  _their_  home, Rei swallowed hard and clutched his small duffel bag to his chest.  His new parents had already told him that once they showed him around the house they could go get anything he wanted for his room.  There was already a bed and a dresser and desk but if he wanted anything specific he only had to ask.

Not that he could ask for anything, he had already decided.  These two men were opening their home and their lives and their hearts to him.  What else could he possibly need?

"Maybe a few more clothes?"  Rin smiled and unlocked the door.  Rei didn’t even realize he had whispered that thought.

"Or a couple new books?"  Makoto stepped past Rin and opened the door, waiting patiently for the both of them to step inside.

"We want you comfortable here, Rei.  It’s your home now to."

"Home."  Rei felt the word on his tongue.  Tasted it.  Weighed it.  He had never really had a home that was his before.

"Welcome home," Rin whispered when Rei cautiously stepped inside and looked around the entryway.


	2. First Day of School

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonny asked: Mako and Rin sending Child!Rei off to school for the first time?

Unlike many of their other difficulties this is the one where Mako kind of breaks down and Rin is the one to calm him.  They had Rei all to themselves over the summer but now it’s time to send him off to school.  Rei himself is pretty okay with it.  It’s just school.  He’s a little nervous about them being there when he comes home but they’ve reassured him countless times that they’ll both be waiting for him.  And they’ve let him (and the school) know that if he needs to call home during the day because it’s too much they’ll be there for him.

Mako tries not to cry but he fails pretty miserably.  There are big crocodile tears running down his cheeks because even if they’ve only had Rei in their lives for a few months but he’s already so ingrained that he knows he’ll be kind of lost all day until Rei comes home.

Rin just rubs his shoulders and arms and kisses his knuckles and lets Mako freak out.  It’s kind of nice being the calm collected one for once.  He doesn’t know why sending Rei off to school isn’t making him all teary.  God knows it seems everything else does.  But he just gives Rei a hug and a big grin and waves until he’s out of sight.  Only then does he let Mako’s tears infect him and after a few minutes he scrubs at his cheeks and pulls Mako inside to wait.

Only a few months and the house already seems completely empty when Rei is gone for a few minutes.


	3. Happy Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonny asked: Child!Rei's first birthday ever with Mako and Rin?? I bet that'd be adorable.

They both want to spoil him rotten (outings to his favorite places, his favorite food and snacks, etc) but, after plenty of discussion, they decide they shouldn’t make too huge a deal out of it in case he misunderstands it and thinks they’re trying to make him feel good before sending him back.

So they take the train to the nearby city and go to the mall and get some ice cream and go to a movie of Rei’s choosing.  When he wonders what exactly is going on they tell him they’re celebrating his birthday and they’re celebrating how important he is to them.

Then they pick out a gift for Rei (who insists that they both get something too because “You’re both just as important to me as I am to you so we should all celebrate.”)

"He’s right you know," Makoto says and nudges Rin towards the shoe store (his jogging shoes have needed replacing for awhile and Rei wants to start running too so they get him a pair as well.)

"Yeah he’s a pretty smart kid," Rin replies and nods towards the pet store where he knows Mako and Rei have already seen the fluffy white kitten staring at them and mewling excitedly.

They eventually come home and make supper together.  Rei settles on the couch with his new book on animals and the kitten bouncing happily in and out of his lap.


	4. Studying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonny asked: What about when Rei is in high school and brings Nagisa home to "hang out"? How do Rin and Mako handle that?

"Handle" possibly implies that they don’t embarrass Rei beyond all reason.

They do.

Mako offers them snacks.  And then drinks.  And then “anything else?” with a wink and Rei’s face goes red.  When Nagisa heads to Rei’s room Mako gives Rei a thumbs up and a huge grin behind his back which just makes him even more mortified.  Rin yells after them to keep the door open.

Rin is constantly walking past Rei’s room under the pretense of cleaning up the house (which is already fairly clean because the three of them kept a neat home) and poking his head in to check if they need anything.

Mako follows after Rin finally to literally pick him up over his shoulder and carry him back to the kitchen (stopping briefly at Rei’s room with Rin kicking him lightly in the stomach trying to get him to put him down) and tells them that as long as they leave the door open Rin will stay out of their hair.

Nagisa remarks that they’ll just have to stay quiet and Rei blushes even more and buries his head in his hands and Rin starts wiggling severely.  Mako just stares at Nagisa for a minute, easily holding Rin in place, until Nagisa rolls his eyes a little and grins sheepishly at Mako.  ”Just joking.”

"My parents are so embarrassing." Rei mutters as Makoto finally carries Rin away and he expects Nagisa to be judging him so badly right now (which he should know better because he knows Nagisa) but the blonde is more interested in the pictures on Rei’s walls and his shelf or origami figures and video games.

"Nah.  Just wait until you meet my family.  Your parents are cool."  A muffled shriek of laughter and mild cursing followed by footsteps running from the kitchen towards the hallway to Rei’s room startles them both.  Then Rin hurries by, face flushed, and slams the door to his and Mako’s office (which is next to Rei’s room.)  Mako strolls by at a much more leisurely pace and nods to the two boys.  "What’s going on?"  Nagisa leans close to Rei and whispers.

"He’s ticklish.  It was probably his punishment for pestering us so much."  Nagisa looks from Rei, to the door, and back.

"Yeah your parents are pretty cool."

"Embarrassing." Rei corrects him and pulls out their math homework.  "Now." Nagisa lets out a whine and pouts at Rei who simply shakes his head.  "Math."


	5. Aunt Gou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonny asked: Kou coming to visit when she learns that her brother and Mako adopted a child and getting to meet Rei

It takes a few months before she gets enough free time to properly visit.  Plus she wants to give them all time to get comfortable with each other.

She’s heard that he’s into reading.  So she maybe overdoes it a little brings him an entire shopping bag filled with books about everything.  Machines, animals, science, drawing, insects, cooking.  Just a huge selection from the local used bookstore she works at on the weekends.

Which, along with a big smile and a handful of his favorite candy snuck into his coat pocket on the walk home from the station to pick her up, totally wins him over.  She asks about his classes and if he’s getting along with the kids at school.  Asks what his favorite colors are and if her big brother is treating him good.  ”If not,” she mock whispers with a wink, “I can put him in a headlock or something for you.”  That earns her a smile as he pictures her putting her taller and more muscular big brother into a headlock until he cries uncle.

Rei feels bad when he finds out she used to sleep in his room when she stayed over and, like the gentleman he is being raised to be, he offers to let her stay in his bed and he’ll sleep on the couch.  She refuses because it’s his room now and that’s okay.  He refuses to give up.  They compromise and fall asleep on a pile of pillows in a tent made out of a blanket on the living room floor.


	6. Disneyland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonny asked: Mako and Rin taking Rei to Tokyo Disneyland for an entire weekend?

Rin is almost more excited than Rei is.  Totally.  He is so into this trip.

Rei helps Mako pack everything the night before they leave.  Rin is busy worrying that they won’t have enough time for everything and is constantly double checking that they remembered to pack different things.

"Yes, Dad.  We all have enough underwear for the trip."  (Rin packs them all a couple extra pairs just in case because you never know.)

"Rin.  We don’t need that many memory cards for the camera.  Why do we even have that many different memory cards for the… nevermind."  (Rin happily manages to fill up three and a half 16GB memory cards with photos and videos.  He basically starts the minute they leave and doesn’t stop until they unlock their door when they come home.)

Rei doesn’t want to ask for too many souvenirs because the trip is after he’s only been with them a couple years and there’s still that part of him that doesn’t feel like he  _should_ ask for anything.  He’s going to Disneyland.  What more can he really ask for?  Rin insists that they all have hats.  And a couple shirts.  And key chains.  And a snow globe.  Pictures from everything they can possibly get them from.  An official picture album.

Rei really doesn’t need to ask for anything because even if he did Rin probably already thought about getting it.

Makoto is just happy that they’re finally getting a vacation and seeing the way Rei grins at the parades and watching Rin carry Rei around on his back after he falls asleep on the way back to the hotel their first night there is just perfect.  (He fills up the rest of that fourth memory card with his own collection of pictures.)


	7. College

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonny asked: Mako and Rin suddenly realizing that Rei is all grown up and preparing for college

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and then I started tearing up while writing this one....

"Are we really this old already?  I don’t feel like I should be this old yet," Rin pouted and eyed the boxes sitting in the entryway.

"We’re young at heart."  Makoto watched quietly as Rei brought another box from his room and placed it carefully on the small pile.  The teen studied the pile for a moment before nodding and heading back down the hallway, smiling at his dads on the way.  "But I know what you mean.  He shouldn’t be old enough for this yet."

"Jeez d’you suppose this is how our parents felt?"

"Probably."

"Oh."  A series of rapid knocks came from the door moments before it popped open and Nagisa hurried in.  The knocking was more to announce his arrival than to ask for permission to enter.  He had bypassed that point in his relationship with the family year’s ago.  He left his shoes in a jumble and skittered down the hallway to Rei’s room, waving briefly as he flew past the living room doorway.

"I never expected that when we adopted one boy we’d end up practically adopting a second one," Makoto murmured as they listened to the muffled sound of Nagisa’s excited chatter and Rei’s more controlled, yet excited, replies.

"I’m just glad he made such a good friend.  I was worried about him when he first came home with us.  He was so," Rin gestured vaguely at the air like he could pull the words from it, "well, alone and awkward I guess."  They both smiled, remembering the awe in Rei’s voice when he practically whispered the word "home" all those years ago in their entryway.

The entryway that currently housed half a dozen various sized carefully taped boxes and a pair of half-tied sneakers beside a pair of carefully placed running shoes.  The entryway that had been littered with sneakers and jogging shoes and backpacks and duffel bags and suitcases and snow boots and sleds and so many memories.  The entryway that would be empty soon.

"I’m not ready for this," Mako whispered as he tugged Rin into his arms and hid his face against Rin’s neck.  "I’m going to be a mess."  Rin felt Mako’s eyes started tearing up and he swallowed hard.

"Well then we can be complete sobbing messes together.  After we see him off with smiles.  All the smiles he’s given us it’s the least he deserves."

When Rei and Nagisa came back out Mako’s eyes were dry.

When they dropped Rei off and helped him unload his boxes they were both smiling.

When they left they waved until they couldn’t see him anymore.

When they got home there were damp streaks down their cheeks.

When they got inside… there was a piece of paper on the kitchen table.

_Thank you for giving me a home.  For giving me a family.  For giving me friends.  For sharing your happiness and love with me.  No matter where I go I’ll never forget any of the things you two taught me._

Makoto sat on the closest chair and drug Rin into his lap with a teary laugh.  Their son had made them proud every day since the day he came home with them and they both knew he would continue to do so for the rest of their lives.


	8. Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonny asked: Though I can't ever actually see this happening cause Mako and Rin would keep Rei hella close. But Rei getting lost in the supermarket somehow??

It happens so unexpectedly.  Mako and Rin are discussing something as they turn the corner of an aisle right as Rei bends down to tie his shoe.  He looks up and they’re gone.

His chest clenches up for a moment and he can’t move, can’t breathe, can’t think.  All the sound in the supermarket gets sucked into some vacuum and everything is frozen.  They left him and aren’t coming back, his mind screams and then it’s like his ears pop and everything starts moving again.  He hurries to the end of the aisle and turns one way, checking each aisle as he goes.  When he’s sure they wouldn’t have gone that far he turns back and heads the other way.  After he makes it most of the way down to the end without spotting or hearing them he realizes they’ve missed each other somehow or something.

So he heads to the nearest counter (the small meat counter at the back of the store) and gets the attention of one of the workers.  Rei tries really hard not to tear up as he explains to the patient man that he bent down to tie his shoe and somehow got separated from his parents.  The man takes his hand and walks with him to the front of the store to the counter where they make an announcement that he’s waiting up there.

When Rin hurries up with Mako right behind him Rei finally starts crying.  Rin scoops him up and nearly crushes him and doesn’t let go until Makoto says his name.

He fully expects to be scolded for getting lost.  If not right there in the market then on the way back to the house or maybe when they get back.  But it doesn’t happen.  Rin and Mako both apologize for not realizing he had stopped to tie his shoe.  They apologize for making him worry and not being able to find him.  They commend his quick thinking to look for an adult and tell him how proud they are about how he handled it.

They actually ask  _him_  to forgive  _them_  for the whole thing.

And of course he does because it was just an accident but he asks them to let him sleep in between them that night to “make up for it.”  Which they do and none of them mention how tightly they all hold each other or how Rei sniffles and rubs his damp cheeks while waiting for sleep to catch up to them.


	9. Meet the Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonny asked: I just realized something! We've had Family AU where Gou met Rei but not anything about Mako's parents or the twins meeting Rei! Oh my gosh that'd be amazing!

Rei had gotten used to being around other kids before he was adopted.  He kind of had to given the circumstances.  But once he got adopted it was just him and Mako and Rin (with a couple of outings here and there.)  So when it’s finally time to meet Mako’s family he’s all kinds of nervous.  Other kids he can deal with.  But Makoto’s parents are, well, parents.  They’re adults.  So are the twins ( _more or less_  Rin says sarcastically as they walk up the sidewalk to the house.)

As they walk up they can hear muffled arguing coming from inside and Rei kind of stiffens up involuntarily because arguing has never led to anything good in his experience.  Before either of his dads can reassure him the door flies open with a cry of “BIG BROTHER!!” and Mako has his arms full of a beautiful (in Rei’s opinion) girl just out of her teens.  She has the same shade of hair as Makoto but her eyes are more teal than green.  But the way she grins at them leaves no doubt she is his sister.  A slightly plainer looking young man steps out of the doorway with a frown.  Brown hair and eyes but his resemblance to the other two is enough to verify that this is Makoto’s little brother.

"I wanted to be the first one to give him a hug.  You’re such a brat."  He pouts a little until his sister lets go of Makoto and turns her affections to Rin and Rei who is hiding just behind Rin’s waist, fingers gripping his shirt so hard they’re turning white.  She gives Rin a more reserved hug and Rei can see her brothers sharing a quick hug before turning towards them.

She looks at Rei with a smile and squats down to his level and he is kind of in awe of how her long hair is so shiny and nearly touches the ground when she props her chin on her hand and looks at him.

"And you’re Rei, right?"  When he nods, fingers still in Rin’s shirt, she smiles even wider.  "I’m Ran.  That’s Ren."  She considers him for a moment and then her smile grows as soft looking as her hair and Rei finally loosens his death grip on Rin’s shirt a little.  "I always wanted a cute little brother.  Wanna give it a shot?"

He looks up to Rin and then Makoto and finally sneaks a peek at Ren who smiles fondly at his sister and nods encouragingly to Rei.  He’s never had an older sibling before and he drops his hand from Rin’s shirt and steps to his side.

"Okay," he almost whispers.  When Ran makes a happy sound and pulls him in for a hug he blushes but cautiously hugs her back.

Ren is more reserved for most of the visit.  But he sits next to Rei on the couch and shares his dessert with him willingly.  When Rei starts getting sleepy he leans against Ren’s side and Ren smiles down at him.

His new grandparents welcome him with open arms and big smiles and Rei can understand where Makoto gets his huge heart from.

He gives his grandparents a Ran a hug before they leave and as they’re walking down the sidewalk he turns and runs back up to the house and latches onto Ren for a moment before hurrying back to where his dads are waiting.


	10. Drowning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonny asked: Family AU with number 91? 
> 
> (91. Drowning)

He couldn’t breathe.  That was the worst part.  Not the sense of sinking into darkness.  Not the odd sensation of his limbs being far too heavy and much too light all at once.  Not the blurriness of what little there was around him.  Not the pressure of noise and fuzziness in his ears.  No.  It was the not breathing that he was having trouble with.

Everything was too much and not nearly enough at the same time.  No one was there for him but everyone was staring him down.  He was totally alone but he was being crushed by warm bodies.  It was far too quiet and far too loud inside his own head.

And he couldn’t breathe.  He was drowning in his own mind.

A warm hand reached out and settled on his chest.  Pushing him even further into the darkness and he let it.  Why bother struggling anymore?  Why bother with that sense of dread always lingering just out of sight but never completely out of mind?  A cool hand joined the warm one.  This one was on his cheek, slowly turning his head to the side, forcing his body to follow.

That’s when he realized he wasn’t sinking into the darkness but being guided into a brightness so intense he was afraid of it.  Afraid in a way the darkness hadn’t gotten to him.  Because the light promised safety and love and contentment and yes he was afraid of giving into that.

Rei woke with a gasp and sat up.  Rin slipped his hand from Rei’s cheek and pulled him into a loose hug while Makoto moved his hand from Rei’s chest and started rubbing soothing circles on his back.  He shouldn’t be like this, he knows that.  By thirteen years old you’d think the nightmares would have stopped.  But sometimes they overwhelm him.  Sometimes the insecurity and worries of that little boy who never really knew what a home was caught up to him and pulled him under.

That’s when his dads rescued him just like they always did.  With hugs and smiles and the silent promise that if he needed to talk they’d listen and even if he didn’t talk they’d be right there for him.


	11. Sounds Complicated

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonny asked: Family AU! With Rei asking Mako and Rin how they met, what their wedding was like, how they knew the other was the one, and other fluffy stuff because he's curious about his dads

He doesn’t ask right away.  He has to work up his courage a bit and it doesn’t happen until after he’s sure that he’ll be staying with them.  Because what’s the point in learning things about people if you’re just going to be separated from them in a few weeks?

But he does eventually and they answer everything that he asks as best as they can.  He just has to remember that what Rin remembers and what Mako remembers don’t always match up quite the same.  Rin says their first date was a movie when they were seventeen.  Mako claims that even if Rin didn’t realize it they had been dating for like two years before that.  

Mako says that it was bright and sunny the day they got married  Rin agrees that it was sunny but it wasn’t all that bright and Mako just says that he must have been distracted by the brightness and beauty of Rin that day.  Rin blushes and tells him to shut up and Rei laughs.

Rei asks when they knew they wanted to get married.  Rin says for him it was when they had got caught in the rain one day and instead of running for cover they had spent the entire afternoon jumping in puddles and chasing each other through the park.  They both got sick the next days but Rin says he remembers Mako catching him one time and spinning him around to face him and they were both laughing and Rin thought “I could spend my whole life listening to this laugh.”  Makoto can only sit on the couch and stare at Rin smiling over at him and wonder how he got so damn lucky.

Makoto knew Rin was the one for him not long after they split up for college and he found himself sitting on his bed in the dorm just staring blankly at a wall and it wasn’t until his roommate came in an hour later that he realized he had spent the entire time just imaging meeting up with Rin after college and picturing how many cats they would have and what kind of house or apartment they would live in and right then and there he knew that he was absolutely head over heels for Rin. Rin just rolls his eyes because of course Makoto knew that long before Rin did.  Makoto had always been the steady and sure one about them.  Even if Rin was the one who confessed first.

"And that," Makoto smiles and tugs the blanket up to Rei’s chin, "is a story for another day."

"Is it a good story?" he asks with a yawn as Rin presses a kiss to his forehead and Mako follows suit.

"Well it involves a bunch of balloons, a pool, and a can of peaches.  So it’s interesting if nothing else."

"Sounds complicated."  Rei murmurs, already half asleep, and they shut the light off and head to the living room.

"Please make me sound a little less awkward when you tell him that story."  Rin settles himself onto the couch with a content smile.  Makoto laughs as he picks up his book.


	12. College Graduation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nonny asked: family Au rei's college gradutation, cue the waterworks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and so another round of my tears were shed for this AU....

"We’re not really this old right?"  Rin sighs and turns to Makoto who simply laughs.

"We had this conversation last time.  Yes we really are this old.  But we’re still young at heart."

"Ugh.  Last time?  Don’t remind me.  I can’t think about our son graduating high school while I’m trying not to cry because he graduated college okay?"  Makoto laughs again and pulls Rin to his side.  They watch as Rin makes his way to them and gets stopped by classmates and teachers.  Then he gets stopped again when Nagisa runs up to him, Ren and Ran in tow, and jumps at his chest.  Rei staggers a moment and then laughs.  He gets and arm around his best friend to balance them both, an embarrassed flush hitting his cheeks when Ren pulls out his camera.  Makoto thinks he sees Ran giving both boys kisses on their cheeks and making them blush even harder and then she’s laughing and heading for her big brother.

"Congrats on raising such a good kid."  She nudges Rin’s shoulder with her own and sticks out her tongue.  "I knew you could do it, Makoto."  Rin nudges her back and tells her to shut up.  A flash startles him and he looks up to see Ren smiling at them both acting like children.  Of course they had to have a photographer in the family.  Rolling his eyes he leans back against Makoto’s side.

He had promised himself that, much like with Rei’s high school graduation, he wouldn’t cry until he and Makoto were home alone.  But watching Rei walking over with one arm around Nagisa’s shoulder and the other around another classmate’s, smiling widely and laughing, he can’t help the tears that prickle at him.  He can clearly remember Rei walking into the house that first day, eyes wide and scared, and he remembers feeling so worried that they wouldn’t be able to make little Rei happy.  That they would fail him as parents.  He remembers Rei wondering out loud in his quiet voice what else he could possibly need as he stared at their house.

He remembers the letter Rei left them on the table for them to find after they had settled him into his first dorm room.  

“ _Thank you for giving me a home.  For giving me a family.  For giving me friends.  For sharing your happiness and love with me.  No matter where I go I’ll never forget any of the things you two taught me._ ”

The words shimmer in his mind as he sucks in a shaky breath and Makoto gives him a squeeze.  He’s sure the same thing is on his mind.

The moment Rei is in range he reaches out and yanks him into a tight hug, burying his face in Rei’s hair.  He doesn’t want to cry but he does anyway and he feels Rei’s fingers tighten where he’s clenching Rin’s shirt.  Fingers that used to cling just as tightly when they were so much smaller and so unsure of their place in the world.  He’s so proud right now that he could practically burst.  ”So proud of you Rei,” he mutters as Makoto rubs his back and he’s not sure if Rei’s breath of a laugh was an embarrassed one or a teary one.  It doesn’t matter.  ”So damn proud of you.  How strong you are and how smart you are.  Of how much you’ve grown and I am just so happy that you became part of our lives.  That you’re our son.  Never forget that okay?”

The fingers in his shirt clench even tighter for a moment and Rin can feel Rei’s breath shudder in his chest.  Then Rei pulls away and smiles at him.  There’s so much Rei wants to say, so much he wishes he could put into words.  ”Thank you,” is the only thing that can slip through his lips at the moment though.  But it’s more than enough.

Makoto pulls him into a hug of his own while Rin turns and gives Nagisa his own hug.  He doesn’t really know what he wants to say, his thoughts are a bit to scrambled from trying to compare the shy kid they had met at that orphanage to the bright young man standing in front of him, so he simply takes a deep breath and hugs Rin to his chest for a moment.  ”I know you think we gave you a lot, but never forget that you gave us back just as much okay?  You’re brilliant and we love you so much.  And don’t forget: no matter how far you go, you never need an invitation to come home.”

Rei pulls away, tears shining in his eyes, and adjusts his glasses carefully.  ”I’ll never forget anything you have all taught me.  Be it how to live, how to love, how to be happy, or how to find my way home.  You’ve been the best parents I could have ever asked for.”  His eyes drift over everyone there and he smiles.  ”The best family.  Thank you.  All of you.”


	13. Background/Headcanons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a bunch of asks & answers about this AU.

**Mako and Rin being parents with Rei as the child (aka the question that started it all)**

Rei is a good kid.  He likes learning and follows the rules.  He doesn’t make trouble for Mako and Rin.  He helps with chores that he can.

Rin actually encourages Rei to be a little more outgoing and daring.  Tells him that it’s okay to skips chores once in awhile.  That he can go out and fall down and get dirty.

Mako tells Rei that he can be a little more selfish sometimes.  Ask for something he wants.  Stay up late and wake up late.

They all spend a lot of time at the library and Rei loves it when they bring home craft books or game books so they can all sit at the table and make things together or learn new games to play.  (Rei really loves origami and is really good at it.  Mako & Rin have an entire shelf and a half of the bookcase in their office filled with the intricate things Rei has made.)

 

**Mako and Rin having to experience Kid!Rei getting so sick that'd he'd have to go to the hospital?**

Oh man.  Rin would panic.  He doesn’t have a lot of good experiences with hospitals and hasn’t had a lot of experience with them in general.  Makoto is more stable because the twins got sick on occasion and he’s been there once or twice himself.  Rin tries not to worry too much but it’s their  _Rei_  that’s sick and he knows Rei’s not a weak little kid but he is still a kid and he’s  _their_  kid.

Rin paces.  Makoto sits.  Eventually Rin collapses on the seat next to Makoto and just melts into his side.

It winds up being nothing too serious but Rei has to stay overnight and he’s trying to be brave for Mako and Rin but as soon as the doctor and nurses leave them (after assuring them Rei was going to be fine and if they needed anything to just press a button or stop over at the nurses’ station) Rei’s eyes just start tearing up and Rin sits on the bed with him and pulls him into his lap and Mako just holds each of their hands and the next morning the nurse steps in to see Rin asleep with Rei still in his lap and Mako sitting in a chair next to the bed with his head resting near Rin’s thigh and one hand resting on Rin’s knee and the other holding Rei’s.

 

**Did Mako and Rin adopt Rei as a baby? How do you think their family started out?**

I kind of picture them adopting him when he is five or six years old.  Which is why he is so concerned with being strong for them when he is sick and why he is so careful to be a good kid for them.  He’s old enough to understand that he’s up for adoption because he doesn’t have parents but he doesn’t quite believe that Rin and Mako will keep him.  He’s heard stories from the older kids about parents giving kids back who are bad or cause a lot of trouble and he doesn’t want that because he really likes Mako and Rin.

They do their best to help him understand that they’re not going to give him back.  (“I don’t give up things I want once I have them” is what Rin tells him one morning when he finds Rei teary eyed in the bathroom worried that they’ll give him back because he keeps having bad dreams and waking them up.)

Eventually it finally clicks with him that they’re not going to give up on him or get rid of him no matter what happens. He still tries to be a good kid for them because they work hard and in his eyes they deserve nothing but the best and lots of happiness.

 

**Mako and Rin going out for their anniversary and having to leave Child!Rei with Uncle Haru for the night (or maybe even a week? Anniversary vacation anyone?)**

Uncle Haru is actually their neighbor.  Well their neighbor’s grandson who is taking care of the place for said neighbor.  He’s a couple years younger than Makoto and Rin but he’s quiet and keeps the house and yard clean and he’s nice to Rei when Rei stumbles into the yard on accident one day and nearly broke the fence.

He watches Rei for them when they can’t be home when he comes back from school (which isn’t too often) and he always waves away their attempts to pay him for watching Rei.  He tells them Rei is polite and quiet enough and helps him weed the yard and feed the fish so it’s fine.

So when they want to take a few days off to celebrate their anniversary (they have a celebration with Rei the night before they leave) it’s a no brainer who they ask.

Haru… isn’t horrible with kids but he’s definitely not used to them being around for 5 days straight.  The first day he kind of loses track of time and forgets that Rei needs to eat (Haru eats what he wants when he’s hungry but Rei needs to eat at a certain time so he can go to bed and be at school the next morning.)

He almost doesn’t get Rei to school on time the first morning (or the second one, luckily the next two days are the weekend.)  But Rei is healthy and clothed and clean when Mako and Rin return, if nothing else.

 

**What are the circumstances of Rei going into adoption? Does it affect how he acts around Mako and Rin? Does he flinch away from Mako's hugs the first month or two. Does he start tearing up when Rin accidentally curses a bunch in front of him even though it's not Rei he's mad at. Does Rei constantly check on them in the middle of the night to make sure they are okay?**

I can’t really decide to be honest.  Regardless of the circumstance he’d be pretty wary of physical contact in general at first.  Too afraid to really get close because he still thinks he might get sent back and doesn’t want to get too attached.

Whatever the reason he’s never really had a place he feels like is his “home” so even if he had parents that he could possibly remember they weren’t very attentive with him.  Like possibly he got taken away from his birth parents a couple years before Mako & Rin adopt him because he got sick or hurt because they weren’t taking care of him and a neighbor or teacher took him to the hospital.  

So he feels it’s his fault that he got placed for adoption and that’s why he tries so hard to be good for Mako & Rin.  Because he doesn’t want to cause them the stress of him being hurt or sick and wind up back there again cause he really likes it with them.  He often wakes up at night after bad dreams and likes to make sure they’re still there and he’s still at the house and that they’re still a family.  Even when he’s a teenager he still wakes up sometimes and peeks in on Makoto & Rin while they sleep.  Just to make sure.

 

**What made Rin and Mako decide they wanted a kid??**

It was Rin who brought it up.  He’s the one who really wanted a bigger family.  It’s not like Makoto’s not enough ( _never think that you big goof_ ) or anything like that.  It’s just that Rin always wanted to be able to raise a kid.  Teach him (or her) how to do things.  Give them all the chances Rin had and then some.  

Makoto was a little hesitant.  He knows what it’s like to go from one family situation to another (Rin has only ever known having a little sister.  He’s never known how much a family change like that can change everything… financially, emotionally, etc) with the age difference between him and the twins.

But Mako knew that he and Rin were stable.  They loved each other and both had very supporting families.  They’d been officially together for a few years and “kind of” together a few more.  They both had good jobs and they had a nice sized house and they were a decent age to start a family (Rin had just turned 24 when he brought it up.)  So they discussed it.  And discussed it some more.  Decided that if they went through with it that they would combine their two offices/”personal rooms” into one and use the larger one for the child’s bedroom.

Then eventually they felt like they were really ready to do it.  It wasn’t just a whim or a spur of the moment thing.  Almost a year later and they still wanted a bigger family.

And then they met Rei.

 

**How long did it take for Rei to finally call Rin and Mako his Dads??? I'm quite sure one (or both) of them cried after the fact.**

Not long after he finally realized that he was with them for good (which is somewhere around not quite a year after he first went home with them.)  They had both assured him that whatever he felt comfortable calling them was okay.  Whether he called them both Dad or used their names or even if he felt more like calling one of them Dad and using the other’s name.  Whatever worked for him would work for them as long as he understood that they were a family.

He planned on calling them both Dad eventually.  He knew that once he realized they really were sticking with him for good.  He just didn’t plan on doing it out of the blue like he did.  At least to Rin.

He did not mean to make Rin drop the carton of eggs all over the floor when he shuffled in one Saturday morning and said, “Morning.  Oh hey Dad can I have some orange juice?”  Rin sniffled and wiped at his eyes as he got Rei a glass of juice and Rei grabbed some towels to help clean up the eggs.

Makoto fared marginally better, mostly because Rei made sure that he wasn’t carrying anything or moving or even drinking anything at the time.  He simply knocked on the office door and poked his head in and said, “Dad?” and waited.  When Mako registered what he said he spun around and looked at Rei with a smile (there may or may not have been tears in his eyes at the time he was never really sure.)

 


End file.
